Container



y 1933- H. L. BERKENBILE CONTAINER Filed Dec. 4, 1951 Patented May 9, 1933 TATES HENRY L. BERKENBILE, OF HENITESSEY, OKLAHOMA CONTAINER Application filed December 4, 1931.

This invention is a container for use in stores and similar establishments for containing merchandise and maintaining the same in a sanitary condition. A particular object 9 of the invention is to provide a table or shelf upon which articles taken from the container may be displayed and to provide a cover which is operatively connected with the table or shelf in such manner that, when the cover I is closed, the shelf will be housed within the container, and, when the shelf 18 wlthdrawn,

for the display of goods, the cover will be automatically raised to open position and held in that position. The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing and will be hereinafter first fully described and then more particularly defined in the appended claims.

In the drawing,

Figure l is a perspective view of my improved container showing the lid raised and a shelf in display position,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the upper portion of the container showing the lid in lowered closed position,

Fig. -l is a detail transverse section on the line al--& of Fig. 2.

The container is designed more especially for holding a stock of edible merchandise such candy, crackers, or other foods, and comprises a box or case 1 which is preferably constructed of sheet metal and may be 53 stamped from a single integral blank in a single operation. The box has an open top and, at its top edge, it is provided with an outstanding flange 9., at its back or on its sides adjacent tie back, a stationary top 8 being fitted to said flanges and being clamped about the same or otherwise secured thereto. The movable lid or cover t is hinged to the forward edge of the fixed cover 3, as indicated at 5, and is provided with a depending flange 6, at its free edges, adapted to fit about the top of the open portion of the box or casing 1, as shown in Fig. 8, and as will be understood. Secured upon the inner surfaces of the sides of t 1e box, at and immediately adjacent the top of the same, are vertically spaced Serial No. 579,029.

rails or cleats 7 which constitute supporting guides for the shelf 8 and also serve to reinforce the body, as will be understood, the guide rails being extended across the front of the box, if so desired and as indicated in 55 2 and 3, so as to impart rigidity thereto. The shelf 8 may be of sheet metal providedwith'z dependent flanges 9 around its side edges" ana 1 across its outer front edge and is reinforced by a frame 10 to which said flanges are firmly secured, said frame 10 and the shelf passing through an opening provided therefor in the front of the box, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and being slidably received between the rails 7. A handle 11 is provided on the front edge of the frame 10 and the shelf so that the shelf may be easily-pushed in or drawn out, and across the lower wall of the opening which receives the shelf a stop flange 12 extends to be engaged by the flange 9 to limit the inward movement of the shelf and thereby prevent jamming of the working parts. The inner end portions of the frame 10 are offset inwardly, as shown at 13, and formed into depending arms 14 to the lower ends of which are pivoted lifter arms 15. These arms 15' are of arcuate formation immediately adjacent their pivotal ends and their free ends extend on straight lines and pass slidably through loops 16 secured on the inner sides of the lid 4 adjacent the side edges of the same. The lifter arms slidably engage said loops and are retained therein by any c0n- Venient means such as cotter pins 17 fitted transversely through their extremities beyond the loops, as indicated in Fig. 1.

7 From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,

it is thought the operation and advantages of my improved container will be readily understood and appreciated. Normally, the several parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 3, the shelf being disposed within the box and the'lid 4 being lowered so that the entire top of the box is covered. In this position, the lifting arms 15 will be disposed at the back of the box and below the hinged lid 4. If it be desired to display the goods in the container, the shelf is drawn forwardly,

as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and a pull is theremembers 15 are slidably held to the underside of the lid 4 and said lid 4 is held by a fixed hinge, the continued forward movement of the arms 14 will cause the members 15 to act as levers to raise the lid 4: and swing,

it upwardly and rearwardly to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. It will be understood that, as the shelf continues its forward movement, the lever members 15, after raising the lid and causing it to assume the slightly rearwardly inclined position shown in Figs. 1 and 4, will slide downwardly through the guide loops 16 until such movement isarrested by theengagement of the retainers 17 with the guide loops, whereupon the forward movement of the shelf will be arrested. The contents of the container are now exposed to view and samples of the same may be placed upon the shelf for closer inspection, if desired, or said shelf may support a basket or other receptacle in which articles from the container may be deposited as sold. Upon reverse movement of the shelf, the arms 14 will be slid rearwardly within the container and the lever members 15 will then be caused to initially slide upwardly through the guide loops 16 and, as the pivots of said members move rearwardly, the levers will be caused to swing forwardly and downwardly so as to pull the lid 4 to closed position through the engagement with the guide loops. The device is exceedingly simple in the construction and arrangement of its parts and may be produced at a low cost. It is not apt to get out of order and will maintain the goods therein in a sanitary condition at all times. If desired, the body may be made in upper and lower sections so that the upper section, containing the lid and shelf, may be lifted from the lower section to facilitate the placing of merchandise therein.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A container having an open top, a lid hinged upon the container to cover the open top, guide members carried by the hinged end of the lid, a shelf slidably mounted in the container, operating arms each having one end thereof provided with means for connection with the inner end of the shelf and its other end slidably mounted in the ad jacent guide member whereby when the shelf is drawn forward the lid will be raised, and means for limiting the downward sliding movement of the operating arms within the guide members.

2. A container having an open top, a lid hinged upon the container to cover the open top,a guide member mounted on the inner face of the lid near the hinged end thereof, a shelf slidably mounted in the container, an

operating arm having one end thereof provided with means for connection with the inner portion of the shelf and its other end slidably mounted in the guide member and movable over the inner face of the lid Whereby when the shelf is drawn forward the lid will be raised, and, means for limiting the downward sliding movement of the operating arm within the guide member.

3. A container comprising a box having an open top and provided in its front side, adjacent its top, with an opening therethrough, a stop flange at the bottom of said opening, a shelf slidably mounted through said opening and adapted to engage said stop flange whereby its inward movement will be limited,pendent arms connected with the inner end of the shelf, a lid hinged upon the box to cover the open top thereof, and operative connections between said pendent arms and the lid where by, when the shelf is drawn out, the lid will be raised.

4. A container comprising a box having an open top and having an opening through its front side adjacent its top, vertically spaced guide rails on the inner sides of the box above and below the opening through the front of the same, a shelf slidably engaged between said rails and passing through the opening in the box, a lid hinged upon the top of the box and adapted to cover the open to thereof, and arm members slidably engagec with said lid and connected with the shelf whereby, when the shelf is drawn out, the lid will be raised.

5. A container comprising a box having an open top, guides on the inner side of said box, a shelf movable through the front of the box and slidably engaged between said guides, arms connected with the rear end of the shelf and depending below said guides, a lid hinged on the box and adapted to cover the open top of the same, guide loops on the underside of the lid, and arcuate arms pivoted to the lower ends of said pendent arms and having their free ends straight and slidably engaged in said loops.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HENRY L. BERKENBILE. 

